This section provides background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present invention. It should be understood that the statements in this section of this document are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
A sofa is an upholstered item of furniture for the comfortable seating of more than one person and typically has an armrest on both sides of the sofa along with a back rest. Sofas are usually to be found in the family room, living room, den or the lounge. They are covered in a variety of textiles or in leather.
Sofas may be designed to be convertible into different positions, such as a lounge position or a bed position in addition to the sofa position. A hinge, which connects the sofa seat with the back rest of the sofa, is used to mechanically allow the operator of the sofa to switch the sofa from one position to another. Often, a hinge is placed on each side of the sofa. Hinges that are used to convert a sofa into multiple positions may be referred to as a “click clack mechanism” due to the clicking sound that is made when the sofa is converted into a new position.
Currently, the design of these types of hinges includes an exposed gear mechanism which may potentially snap an operator's finger while the operator transitions the sofa from one position to another.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a sofa hinge that provides easy conversion of the sofa from one position to another while providing added safety by substantially reducing the risk of an injury to the operator's fingers.